What a weekend the racing world has in store!
Doncaster finishes off it’s four-day St Leger meeting with the big race itself coming at 3.30 on Saturday, while it is also Irish Champions Weekend at Leopardstown featuring six Group 1’s. In France, it’s Arc Trials Day on Sunday too.
Despite the good-looking programme, it’s not worth us having a bet in the Doncaster Cup or Flying Childers on Friday, nor in the Champagne Stakes or Irish Champion on Saturday though they are all fascinating races.
Instead, we have these beauties to keep an eye on over the weekend:
Friday 9th September 2022
Please note - racing has been cancelled for Friday due to the death of Queen Elizabeth.
2.00 Doncaster (Flying Scotsman Stakes – Listed Race) – DESERT ORDER
Fair do’s, Sir Michael Stoute’s Nostrum made an excellent debut and it could be that he is a superstar.
At least one from in behind him that day has won since and on a line through Golden Speech he looks well placed to beat main rival Desert Order here.
The last-named horse however is improving and wants this seven-furlong trip. If a change of pace is key to the race, then he may be better placed to provide it so he looks reasonable value under star man William Buick.
4.55 Doncaster (Nursery Handicap) – PRINCEVILLE
An interesting nursery over six furlongs. Zaman Jemil was impressive last time, but others are going into handicap company for the first time and may improve past him.
Mutaany hasn’t won yet but is improving fast and has form with Group 2 winner Marbaan, but Princeville remains of interest for the all-powerful Godolphin/Charlie Appleby team.
Based on what he’s beaten, he can prove to be much better than the figures suggest and especially so back up over this distance.
4.33 Chester (Handicap) – STAR CALIBER
Something caught my eye in this race. Those at the top of the market, namely Frankenstella, Emiyn and Alpine Stroll, deserve to be there but are handicapped more or less right. They are 1-2lbs ahead of the assessors at the most, leaving the door open. Andrew Balding’s Star Caliber is a horse who can slip through it.
Star Caliber has run well at Chester in the past and loves to front-run, a great tactic at the Roodee anyway. He is drawn 3 and won’t use up much energy getting to the front if breaking well, so has things to suit.
He has had a later and slower than ideal start to this season, but is clearly coming to himself now and as a four-year-old has not peaked yet. He has a big chance at these odds, around 10/1 at the time of writing.
5.43 Chester (Handicap) – CHIMED
Sir Michael Stoute’s Chimed was noticeably going very well at Newcastle last time, but was beaten by an even better handicapped horse.
He was rated 89 before but is still a very young and lightly-raced animal. On his latest running and with the promise of more to come, he can get back to the late 80’s swiftly and yet gets in this off a mark of only 79.
Saturday 10th September 2022
1.45 Doncaster (Portland Handicap) – DUSKY LORD
The Portland is always a fascinating race – a unique 5½-furlong sprint which can be won from more or less anywhere on the track.
Burning Cash was of interest along with Lord Riddiford, but at huge odds Roger Varian’s four-year-old Dusky Lord is the one backed to scoot up the stands rail and claim the prize.
2.55 Doncaster (Park Stakes – Group 2) – SACRED
We really need a Group 1 race in this country over seven furlongs, this being one of many Group 2’s to attract a strong field.
The Park Stakes is high quality, close and competitive at first glance, but Sacred is getting to her best again and her turn of foot could be decisive.
Garrus can handle the trip and has recent form behind Highfield Princess and Minzaal, while Al Suhail has been there and done that at this level. Double Or Bubble and Kinross are also not far down the list.
3.30 Doncaster (St Leger – Group 1) – NEW LONDON
In the final Classic of the season the team of Godolphin, Charlie Appleby and William Buick may be set to repeat their success of twelve months ago with Hurricane Lane, this time via their New London.
It’s been a strange week for Appleby. Having lost 2000 Guineas winner Coroebus, he saw 2021 Derby winner Adayar return to the track in style on Thursday and now he may win another Classic.
New London was initially on the Derby trail himself earlier in the season and he is strong in so many areas. If this had been a better Leger I’d be worried, but if New London’s price creeps above even-money he could be worth a bet.
In behind, the main challengers are Eldar Eldarov who won at Royal Ascot and will improve plenty, as well as Hoo Ya Mal who was second in the Derby. The filly Haskoy, tipped on this column, was a good winner at York last time and has been supplemented by Juddmonte – she is the other realistic danger.
4.55 Leopardstown (Matron Stakes – Group 1) – LIGHTS ON (each-way)
This is a very high-quality fillies’ Group 1 over the mile.
With the rain having hit, Sir Michael Stoute’s Lights On could relish the conditions at Leopardstown and put in one of her fleeting big-hitting performances. In fact, she’s capable of better than what we’ve seen so far.
Though improvement is expected, we can’t forget that she started this season by beating Mutasaabeq and Alcohol Free on unsuitable ground before being sent to the Queen Anne.
She didn’t perform at Ascot, but she could easily have gone for the Group 2 fillies’ race instead which shows what the team think about her.
She has Christophe Soumillon on board for this race which could be a great move, and while she may or may not cause a shock up against Homeless Songs and Saffron Beach, I reckon she’s better in the conditions than Tenebrism and so at around 25/1 she’s worth an each-way bet for sure.
No comments:
Post a Comment